As the end of the summer Mediterranean cruising season draws near, Silversea, Costa, MSC, Crystal, and Disney are all offering transatlantic repositioning cruises from Europe to the U.S. in September.

On September 2, Silversea Silver Whisper leaves Southampton, and calls at Fowey, England the following day. Between Plymouth and Falmouth, Fowey is a rarely visited medieval port town with a pretty esplanade and great seafood. The following day, Silver Whisper calls at Waterford, Ireland. After four days at sea, she arrives in St. John’s Newfoundland, followed by another sea day, then Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Lobby of the MSC Poesia

Passengers will have a full day to explore the historic “cottages” of Newport, Rhode Island before disembarking in New York on September 14.

This 13-night voyage has a nice balance of port calls and time at sea, and Silver Whisper’s all-suite accommodations ensure that all passengers will be comfortable. The menus designed by chefs from Relais & Chateaux, and treatments and services at the Mandara Spa make the sea days especially enjoyable. And wines, Champagne, and other spirits are included in the cruise fare.

Sailing from Copenhagen on September 4, Costla Atlantica visits Bremerhaven, Germany, before calling at Harwich and Le Havre, France. After five days crossing the Atlantic, she visits Sydney and Halifax in Nova Scotia, Bar Harbor, Maine, Boston, Massachusetts, and Newport, Rhode Island before arriving in New York on September 19. Passengers will have two nights in New York before disembarking on September 21.

With Carrara marble accents, a recreation of one of the most famous cafes on the Piazza San Marco in Venice, and the Via Veneto Lounge, Costa Atlantica is Italian through and through. Expect many of your fellow passengers to be European on this cruise.

Another European cruise line, MSC has a repositioning cruise on September 4. MSC Poesia sails from Kiel, Germany to Copenhagen, Denmark. After a sea day, she visits Southampton and Le Havre. Passengers will have half a day to explore Vigo, Spain, and then a full day in Lisbon before sailing for the Azores. The 13,000-sqare-foot-spa is a great place to unwind during the four days Poesia spends en route to Bermuda. She arrives at King’s Wharf at 8 in the morning on Saturday and sails on Sunday afternoon, giving passengers the opportunity to spend the evening ashore in Bermuda. She arrives in New York on Tuesday afternoon and docks for the night. Passengers disembark the next morning – September 22.

Crystal Serenity Tenders

The luxurious Crystal Symphony sails from Dover on September 5 and calls at Dublin, Reykjavik, Nuuk in Greenland, and Halifax, Nova Scotia before arriving in New York on September 19. With nine days at sea, there’s plenty of time to enjoy the shipboard amenities, including a wraparound teak promenade, a state-of-the-art spa, putting green, and paddle tennis court. Two alternative restaurants, one Italian and one Asian, provide plenty of dining variety.

Families with children will enjoy the voyage aboard Disney Magic, which sails from Barcelona on September 18. She has full days in Gibraltar and Funchal, Madeira, before spending five days sailing to the Caribbean. There, she visits St. Maarten, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, and Castaway Cay, in the Bahamas, which was voted the best private island in the Caribbean. Passengers leave the ship in Port Canaveral on October 2.

Although Disney cruises are designed for kids, adults enjoy the progressive dining program in which passengers change dining rooms several times during the course of the cruise. There are plenty of adults-only spaces on board. And kids’ programs and babysitting services ensure that parents have some alone time.

Find Princess transatlantic repositioning cruises.
Find Royal Caribbean transatlantic repositioning cruises.

Lobby of the MSC Poesia Image Flickr: Tambako the Jaguar
Crystal Serenity Tenders Image Flickr: Der Etienne

No comments »

Cruise ships that have spent the summer in Europe will start to head back to the United States in August. With fares as much as 65% off, now is a great time to book your trip.

The weather is still pleasant in Europe, many of these cruises include interesting ports in Europe and visits in Iceland, Greenland, and the Martime provinces of Canada along the way. So a repositioning cruise would be a lovely way to end the summer.

Holland America’s Eurodam sails from Amsterdam on August 19, then spends a day at sea before overnight in South Queensferry. This is the port for Edinburgh, Scotland, and Eurodam overnights so passengers will have the opportunity to attend the 59th annual Edinburgh Military Tatoo. Hundreds of pipers, drummers, and members of the Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland perform. It’s a thrilling spectacle you’ll never forget.

Newfoundland

After South Queensferry, Eurodam calls at Kirkwall, Scotland, and Torshavn, Denmark before spending a day at sea en route to Reykjavik, Iceland. Passengers will be able to learn more about the Eyjafjallajokull volcano during their visit. After two more days at sea, Eurodam arrives in Qaqortoq, Greenland, where passengers can tour the Norse ruins of Halsey.

The ship spends the next five days in Canada, calling at ports in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Passengers arrive 19 days later in New York City on September 6. Big discounts are currently available on this sailing.

Travelers with more time can board Eurodam in Amsterdam on August 8 and visit Stockholm, Tallinn, St. Petersburg — where the ship overnights — Helsinki, and Copenhagen in addition to the ports described above. Passengers can choose from several evening activities in Saint Petersburg. The 29-night voyage offers a huge number of ports for a repositioning cruise.

Launched in 2008, Eurodam has the Culinary Arts Center sponsored by Food and Wine magazine, several excellent alternative restaurants, a large spa, and the largest gymnasium in the HAP fleet.

On August 22, Crown Princess sails roundtrip from Southampton and does a 13-night British Isles itinerary visiting Guernsey, Cork and Dublin, Irleand, Liverpool, Belfast in Northern Ireland, and Glasgow, Invergordon, and South Queensferry in Scotland. She calls at Le Havre before returning to Southampton on September 3. Those with less time can board Crown Princess then.

Edinburgh Castle at night

We did this cruise two years ago and really enjoyed Guersney and Liverpool, which was nothing like what we expected. When a strike prevented us from calling at Le Havre, we went to Dover instead, and spend a delightful day in Canterbury.

After leaving Southampton, passengers will visit Falmouth — the gateway to Cornwall — Dublin and Belfast, before sailing to Reykjavik. After leaving Iceland, she has two days at sea before arriving in Greenland, then two more days at sea before visiting St. John’s, Newfoundland. Passengers disembark in New York on September 17.

You can find more transatlantic repositioning cruises here.

Newfoundland Image Flickr: jurek d.
Edinburgh Castle at night Image Flickr: http2007

No comments »